Long Live the White Angel
by Aerial Elephant
Summary: A crossover between Shaman King and Cirque du Soleil. Chappie Five up. After two months, I produce this crappy for a chappy. Oh well. Feast, and I'll bring something yummier next time.
1. The Queen! The Queen!

Hello hello hello! This fic is just a series of random daydreams that I have been having recently. Two unlikely things come together....with a little intervention.....  
  
Disclaimer: I happily do not own Shaman King or Cirque du Soleil. (Happily, because only people like Mr. Takei and Guy Labertiere {Sorry if I misspelled his name} could come up with magic that is what is mentioned above.) I only caused the randomness that happened, and the offstage personalities of the cirques. However, I don't own them, and they all believe that their whole world is a stage anyway, so that would mean that I don't own them as well....  
  
Redisclaimer: I own nothing.  
  
Another Thing: I don't speak fluent cirquish (a mixture of many languages) so I used Alta Vista's Babel Fish. I don't own that either. Alta Vista does.  
  
One More Thing: I don't know everyone's personalities very well yet, but based on what I've read from other fanfictions, I'll try my best. But, if this sucks, its all your faults.  
  
....okay, I was kidding. You are all awesome. :-D  
  
....: -~*~- :.... (I love those little design thingies. Score to whoever uses them! ^_^)  
  
"Bason!"  
  
A flash of red light.  
  
"Amidamaru!"  
  
A flash of blue light.  
  
"Give it up, Yoh! You will never defeat me!"  
  
"I won't give in to you!"  
  
"What a laugh! You shall bow before me when this battle ends!"  
  
"You wait till you see just who ends this battle!"  
  
Clang! Whap! Bang! The sounds of two weapons vibrated through the air. Two boys pushed on the hilts, their bright, concentrated eyes staring into each other's. The force of two powerful blades pushed against each other, one being a Kwon Dao spear, the other, a shining, silver Samurai sword.  
  
Clang! Clatter! Whishk!  
  
BAM!  
  
Both boys were catapulted back by the extortion drawn into the center of the battle. One boy skidded on his back a few paces, but immediately flipped back up; The other rolled backwards up onto his feet.  
  
"Enough! Vorpal Dance! Zhong Hua Zhan Wu!!!!"  
  
"Amida-Ryu Halo Blade!!!!"  
  
The scream of power from both filled their heads as they charged at each other with their attacks- they were just a few meters apart now- the smell of sweat steaming- a few centimeters-pupils dilated-  
  
"Oh, honestly. You two are so stupid."  
  
This insult caused both boys to halt less than half a centimeter apart, followed by both crashing to the ground. The insult came from someone who stood on the front step of their tiny house- a girl with blond hair in a red bandana, and a cool personality with a red streak.  
  
"What do you mean!? Those were perfect attacks!" screamed Ren into Anna's face. His nose was closer to Anna's now than it was to Yoh's a few seconds ago.  
  
Anna still held her cool, though she raised her voice. "You are out here to practice. Practice involves improvement. Not vengeance."  
  
"I was about to slice of that stupid smile right off of his face! The smile that you found extremely annoying yourself."  
  
At this remark Ren got a sharp slap across his face. "Don't mess with me, Ren. Fifty laps around the block."  
  
"Aw, come on, Anna. Don't be too hard on him." The other boy walked over from where he had fallen. He gave an easy grin. "He might have a heart attack."  
  
Ren gave an angry growl.  
  
"You don't give me orders, Yoh. Seventy laps for you."  
  
The grin slipped right into a very open gape. Ren smirked.  
  
"Woah, woah! That's not fair!" Yoh protested  
  
"Well, I guess we'll just have to see who goes into cardiac arrest first." Anna smiled in mock modesty.  
  
"Don't you think that's somewhat unbalanced?"  
  
"Do you want to do eighty?"  
  
Yoh now was the one who grumbled. Ren was laughing somewhat hard.  
  
"Shut it, peachbrain," Yoh shot at Ren.  
  
Ren immediately stopped laughing. "Don't talk to me that way, you stupid idiot!"  
  
"Spikehead!!"  
  
"Lazy ass!!!"  
  
"Cracked Bastard!!!"  
  
"THAT'S IT! Bason!!!"  
  
"Amidamaru!!!"  
  
"INTEGRATE!!!!"  
  
Anna became very annoyed. "Stop it, dammit!!!" she shouted over the noise. "One hundred fifty laps for both of you!! Three times around the block is a lap! Go!!!!"  
  
Freeze.  
  
After a long and painful gawk, both boys set out on their run, muttering unclean remarks to each other under their breaths. Anna watched them set off before she turned to walk into the house. She hesitated for a moment.  
  
Clickity clack! Fwshhhhh!  
  
Shhhk!  
  
"AAUUUGGGHHH!!!"  
  
She had tugged on her beads, which were now not around her neck. Two ghosts fell from where they hid from her to the ground, completely trapped in beads.  
  
She looked over her shoulder. "In, boys."  
  
....: -~*~- :....  
  
"Sidonie!"  
  
A nymph, with a white face, slightly tinted white spiked hair, and a shimmering, supple blue body trotted across the cobbled streets of her darkened world. The little light that was there came from elegant lamps held by fantastical people as they walked.  
  
"Sidonie!!!"  
  
The little nymph looked in the darkest spots, in every crevice of the dark atmosphere that was where she existed. She was very annoyed, seeing that her usually inseparable twin sister was missing.  
  
Despite this aggravation, she was more worried overall. Sidonie the nymph was nowhere to be found.  
  
She asked a passing minstrel, a violinist, if he had seen any trace of her. A lethargic shake of his head prove that he did not know.  
  
Growing anxiously tormented, she decided to appear before their queen, the White Angel, and inquire about her twin's whereabouts.  
  
Though she was a direct servant and subject to the White Angel- though she was ravishing in her loving, innocent nature- her immortality brought awe to even the most talented cirques, and she was respected with unwavering devotion, even by and especially by her nymphs.  
  
She entered the quarters of the queen- where the nymph slept herself- and found many cirques fretting over the area. She pushed through the crowd to see that the area that the queen often occupied was empty. The fact that the area was empty did not surprise her, as the White Angel and the other nymph wandered about quite frequently. But the place looked rushed- and almost... ransacked.  
  
"¿Quéé estáá sucediendo?¿Che cosa èè errato?¿Dove èè reina?" The nymph hastened her step. Musicians, Birds, and high subjects paced anxiously about, calling about, their faces etched in alarm.  
  
"The queen!"  
  
"She's gone!"  
  
"The White Angel has been abducted!"  
  
If ever anything could be shocking in such their abnormal world, this piece of news would top the headlines. The nymph froze, began to shiver.....  
  
She shakily made her way back through the crowd, left the quarters- and noticed the king, standing not with the commotion, but at the entrance, looking out into the starless sky. The king, in regards, was not a king at all- but simply an empty shell. With his obese jeweled waistcoat, velvet bowler hat, and a sensitive, gold-topped cane, he was at his best as a guide for those who find entrance to the world that is theirs.  
  
The nymph paused, a few paces away from him, shaking. Very suddenly, he spoke to her.  
  
"She was too trusting. You are the same way. You love infinitely."  
  
Love is powerful, she said.  
  
"Love is powerless."  
  
That is not true, she retorted quietly.  
  
"If it were not  
true, she would be here."  
  
The nymph could say nothing. She advanced closer to him until she reached his side.  
  
He turned to her. "You see me as an shell. Nothing within. But perhaps there is more to me than you will believe."  
  
There is nothing of you.  
  
He pursed his long lips."I wouldn't doubt that. Perchance you cross an eggshell, though, do not speak of it as you do of me. There may be more to it than you think."  
  
You are a fool.  
  
"A fool is wise when the wise are gone."  
  
He took her hand and stroked it with his thumb. She stared into his eyes with a void, before she let her hand slide from his gloved grasp and she left the quarters.  
  
The part of the world filled with the most hatred was where the nymph found her comfort. Considered to be an unruly, savage beast, a large, burly man was locked away into a cage. Sadness filled him as his only power was power itself- brute force that could literally bend bars into fifths, rip thick-paged tomes, and lift people in a full gathering. But the nymphs knew- and she, the queen knew- that his heart was as gentle and he was as protective as his brawn body was mighty. His curiosity for the nymphs and his captivation for the queen was unwavering, touching. The nymph came up to the cage, careful not to be seen, and gently slipped through the massive bars. His eyes bore into her as she came in. She sat at one end, staring up, while he stared down upon her.  
  
She then crawled up onto his chest, and he held her there. She curled up into a tight tuck, closed her eyes, and allowed herself to shake.  
  
The man held her as a teddy bear, tight but carefully and lovingly. Strong hands reassured her as they covered more or her slender body.  
  
She listened to the growing pandemonium with closed eyes, paralyzed, her heart beating for her sister and the queen as she heard a large heart beat in her other ear.  
  
....: -~*~- :....  
  
Slurp.....  
  
Anna sat at a small wooden table, drinking tea out of a small cup. Her legs were tucked in against her and her feet were crossed. Her eyes were closed as the aromatic vapor came up from the mug onto her face.  
  
"I wonder what's taking Yoh and Ren so long. It shouldn't take them so long to do a quick few laps around the neighborhood." She opened her eyes slightly. "Perhaps they HAVE gone into cardiac arrest?" She snickered at the thought. "Perhaps I should send someone for them. This really is ridiculous..."  
  
Pondering, she let her eyes close again. She took a sip of the tea.  
  
She stopped.  
  
The mug splashed  
to the floor from her hand.  
  
Tremors.  
  
Anna's hand, which was still in grasping position, began to shake. Her eyes widened, and one began to twitch. Her mouth opened slightly, and she made little gasps.  
  
There was an echo, but no words.  
  
There was a heartbeat, but no rhythm.  
  
The echo she had heard before...but where?  
  
Anna gasped hard, loud. She was being strangled, but there was no hand- an echo with no voice, a heartbeat with no rhythm, an echo with no voice, a heartbeat with no rhythm-  
  
Something, something brief, passed through her- the feeling of incompleteness, the twisted feeling in the mind that no shaman has- a deadly state of mind of the spirit world- just for a split moment, she felt the insanity of it- the insanity of someone, with passion, angst, terror, all at once- it passed through her mind, screaming- she slid from the chair, her eyes rolling up into her head, gasping for air- she fell to the floor-  
  
And it was gone. As though it were simply a nightmare, she was wide awake- a cold sweat on her forehead, and gasping- but the echo and the heartbeat remained.  
  
There was something about that echo that reminded her of something- something that she hated, with all her heart and souls.  
  
And the heartbeat. Perhaps it was her own heartbeat- it was seemingly steady now. She placed a hand on her neck to feel her pulse- it was consistent as well. But this other heartbeat- it was skipping every other beat...  
  
Shaking her head, she stood up and put the mug on the table, and went off to grab a towel. 


	2. The Alley Encounter

Yay! Chapter two! This will be fun, seeing Ren with a completely different personality...(don't worry, nothing happens to Ren- THE Ren....)  
  
Disclaimer: I own nothing...blah blah blah...yeah yeah yeah....you know the rest.  
  
One thing: Yoh does not have a tendency to speak the speak of the 50's. There is simply a lot of sarcasm in this short chapter. (Ahh, sarcasm. Proof that Yoh and Ren aren't yaoi couples in EVERY fic. ^_^)  
  
Another thing: A lot of the story of the Cirque du Soleil shows is officially not going to be very accurate (meaning I went onto the site and looked up the stories and meaning behind them)...and I'm sure I'll leave out quite a few details. (Visit the site, and go to spectaculera, or something spelled like that...it gives the meanings of the stories, which are somewhat different than my ideas.)  
  
....: -~*~- :....  
  
"Guifa!"  
  
The water flooded everything- over the banks, through the trees. It fell from the sky in a torrential gale that only the drifting zebras barely could endure. The screams of the aquatic creatures and monsters- the cirques of this world- as they struggled to survive in their tipping universe was punishment to all who heard. Flames shot from those who had the power to spew those flames, and water spilled from the rest. Those who were of the sky clung to their aerial perches, their faces concealed under their fins, feathers, arms.  
  
"Guifa?"  
  
A young lady, a black albatross of a lass, struggled through the crowd and the rising waters, screaming the name of a young boy- a boy known for his curiosity and playfulness. The lady albatross herself was of high class, being an aerial creature herself- a "baroque" in the eyes of a Saltimbancan- but this was, of course, not the world of Saltimbanco. This was a world that was named and described with a word that was simply a letter- "O".  
  
"GuifAAAAA!" the lady shouted across the crowd at a boy with a turban. He was looking and running anxiously about, looking for someone himself. Over the noise, Guifa had not her yell. She passed the screaming cirques with great difficulty, until she was able to throw her hand and snag the boy by the wrist. He turned with shock as she tried to pull him toward her.  
  
"Marinkass!" The boy smiled widely as he now  
willingly went to her side. One hand still around his wrist, she wrapped her free arm around his body, but concentrated at the conditions. The water was rising- flames spewing- and all that was not drowning was drying to crisp.  
  
Water was at her chin- and Guifa was under it all. She reached down and, with difficulty, pulled Guifa out of the water. He gasped the air as it came into his lungs- he, after all, was not water-borne.  
"Nous necessità di uscire d'ici!" She thundered above the waters as she sat him round her wet, feathered shouders. Even in the uproar and ruckus, she could feel him shiver with cold and terror.  
  
"Abbiamo bisogno di usi un trapeeze!" Guifa shouted to her, his voice faltering slighly.  
  
Her eyes widened with sudden fear. Every part of her stopped, as though she were no longer part of the screaming crowd. The boy on her shoulders was weighing her down. The water felt extremely cold around her- constantly flowing past her- what if -in this crowd- someone was screaming- Marinkass, Marinkass-the water was cold around her cheeks, and yet- Marinkass, Marinkass- so relaxing- the screams and now, sobs, ebbed away as the world around her became dark and dry....  
  
...silence now....and so dry.....dry.......dry...........  
  
....: -~*~- :....  
  
Four hours later, nearly done with their one hundred fifty laps, Ren and Yoh took a short walking break along a strip of shops. They were somewhat exhausted.  
  
"Huff huff....'Shut it, peach brain,'....huff..... 'Shut it, peachbrain.'" jeered Ren, panting. "God....huff huff..... If you would just shut your stupid trap sometimes...."  
  
"Don't you start....huff.....blaming me.....huff huff.....if you would keep your maniac laughing to yourself....."  
  
Ren scowled with his spazing eyebrows. "Give me a heart attack, will it...huff huff....I won't be having a heart attack anytime at all...you know what I'm saying?.......huff....I would be so fucking close to being the Shaman King if you weren't in my way....like cattle on a single country road....."  
  
Yoh turned his drooping head so that his hard eye met Ren's directly. "You're panting like a dog right now, and you think you can compare ME to an animal...you've got a lot of nerve, Ren.... A lot of nerve..."  
  
"And you don't.....which is why I am surprised that you are as powerful as you are....you being the WONDERFUL, com-PASSIONATE, LAZY IMBECILE you are..."  
  
Yoh was now throughly pissed. He stopped. "So tell me, Ren. Does being a dickhead come naturally to you? Or do you actually enjoy having a three foot spike come out of your head?"  
  
Ren stopped.  
  
"Say that again....... I dare you to..."  
  
"You heard me." Yoh's eyes narrowed.  
  
Ren began to tremble; Slightly at first, but then huge quakes began to rack his body. His spike twitched immeasurably.  
Then, he turned and screamed, "I'll make your ancestors pay for that crack, you son of a bitch! YOU WILL PAY!!!"  
Ren's Kwon Dao came screaming out, aiming for Yoh's neck- but Yoh blocked the attack with his haru-same. Both boys positioned themselves in battle stances.  
  
"Bason!!!"  
  
"Amidamaru!!!"  
  
Absolutely nothing happened.  
  
Both Ren and Yoh sweatdropped, realizing the embarrassingly dented detail. Neither Bason or Amidamaru were available, as they had been forced to stay home by...certain beaded conditions....  
  
Ren straightened up. "I hate you." he spat.  
  
"Aside from insulting you and being a cow in your path to greatness, why do you hate me now?"  
  
"This is your fault!" Ren shouted  
  
"ME?!" Yoh yelled back. "Why the hell is *this* one MY fault?!"  
  
"Anna is the one that would not let our ghosts follow us on our run, which I may say, is ALSO your fault!"  
  
"Oh, so now Anna's actions are my fault too? Well, GEE WHIZ, I guess that EVERYTHING is my fault now!!!" Yoh began to shout to no one and everyone in particular. "Lets all blame YOH for EVERYTHING that happens at all! Cars crashing, runaway pets, lost money, food spoiling, babies screaming, rabbits breeding-"  
  
"She is your fault in the matter that she is your fiancee!!!"  
"Do you think that it was my CHOICE that she became that?!?!"  
  
Ren had no answer to this, only a direct glare.  
  
"Well?"  
  
No answer. Ren kept his stare, although he was now looking somewhat uncomfortable.  
  
Yoh was annoyed by this silence. "Well! The great, almighty REN is TONGUE TIED! WOW!!! THIS is something new!!!"  
  
Ren turned his head away. His eyes were closed and- could it be?- a faint blush to his cheeks. "Come on, lets just go home. I'm sick of this..."  
  
....: -~*~- :....  
  
Usi un trapeeze!  
  
Usi un trapeeze!  
  
Don't drop me.  
  
I won't. Promise.  
  
....: -~*~- :....  
  
Yoh fumed. Where did Ren get off telling him what to do? Ren started walking away. Looking around quickly, he dashed toward a apothecary shop. "Hang on Ren. I'm going in there."  
  
Ren stopped and said, "No...we're going home. I'm tired."  
  
"I need to go in."  
  
Ren rolled his eyes as he turned back around. "What the hell do you need in there?"  
  
"Uhhh......Ah- Anna wanted me to go there."  
  
Ren looked at him suspiciously.  
"....She needs....more aspirin.....headaches...."  
  
"Gee, I wonder why." Ren said sarcastically, "With you causing so much upheaval." But he seemed to finally buy into the story. He started toward Yoh.  
  
Yoh was so relieved by Ren's gullibility that he let the insult go unchallenged. "Great! I'll just be a moment." He started walking toward the shop when- all of the sudden-  
  
"Hey Ren, do you sense something?" Yoh stopped walking. Actually, he knew that Ren had sensed it- it was so strong a sense that any conditioned shaman would pick it up. In fact, he felt that anyone could feel the sharp, synchronized vibrations. He turned around to see Ren, frozen with seriousness, leering down an alleyway.  
  
An alleyway?  
  
"There's something down there." Ren whispered, "Something, an alien being....it's alive..."  
  
Yoh stood next to Ren and looked down the alleyway. The sense grew slightly stronger- only slightly, though. But Ren was right- whatever was causing the sense was down there. Down the alleyway, with its dusty boxes and dirty corners, and small shafts of light pouring through from where the buildings didn't shadow it.  
And, looking, he could "see" the point where the vibrations came from....ba - bomp.....ba - bomp.....ba - bomp.....  
And he could almost see something that looked like.....  
No, it couldn't be, thought Yoh. He turned to his companion, and examined his profile. Could it-?  
Ba-bump-ba-bump-ba-bump...  
The ringing in his ears...  
A heartbeat, but no rhythm...  
Ba-bump-ba-bump-ba-bump  
A heartbeat, but no rhythm...  
  
"Stop, you fool!" Shouted Ren, but it was too late- Yoh had dashed down the alleyway toward the source. The vibrations were at their peak- and still, they grew stronger yet- Something was over there- he could see the spot- where they all generated from- it was that spot- something alive- something-  
  
Two pairs of bright yellow eyes flashed wide open.  
  
"WHAAAAAA-?!" thought Yoh. This was too surreal- it couldn't be. But, there was so much similarity- how could it be?  
Who- what- was this?  
  
"Yoh! You idiot!" The pats of shoes echoed in the alley.  
  
Yoh's head throbbed dangerously from the vibrations, his heart gave unstable pounds, and the eyes of this-this-whatever it was- the golden eyes bored into his mind. The eyes- so similar- and yet, so different- where had he seen them before?  
  
"YOH!" Something grabbed Yoh by the wrist! He instinctively whipped around to pull the hand off- and was caught off guard.  
  
The same yellow eyes, only now pulled into an angry cringe. Golden eyes. Ren's eyes!  
  
Yoh froze. Ren was in this alley, that's what it was- but Ren, Ren was right here, grabbing his wrist-  
Yoh immediately yanked his hand out of his grip and took a jump backward. He turned to the other eyes, which still stared at him, unblinkingly, and then he looked back to Ren's eyes.  
  
Ren was no longer cringing. Though it was dark, his pupils had constricted- the whites of his eyes were like headlights.  
  
Yoh turned back to the other pair- they now were perfect mirrors of Ren's. They shifted a little, and came slightly forward. Yoh's head throbbed painfully- his heart was about to jump through his chest- he heard Ren grunt slightly, and curse. Yoh put his hand on Ren's shoulder and push him backward slightly, as he did so himself. The pupils of the lone eyes dialated, and came forward, into a small shaft of light.  
The body was, yes, that of Tao Ren. A shady form of him wet, bruised up, bleeding slightly, and- could it be?- shadows of tear stains ran down the sides of his cheeks. It looked cautious, yet curious, and extremely...frightened.  
Could this be Ren? Not the Ren that Yoh had known? Despite the throbs in his head, Yoh slowly started to advance onto the other person- the person that looked so much like Ren. This Ren cowered. It plastered himself against the wall of the alley; Its eyes widened with fear, and its mouth fell open in a silent scream. The golden eyes seemed to sparkle with terror...  
Yoh stopped and gazed at this character- Ren, who's personality he felt that he knew well, didn't tally at all with this other creature. But what was-  
  
A long spear thundered out and radiated in the darkness- and the spear was pointed at the creature. "What the hell are you?! Why have you disguised yourself as me?!" Ren shouted to the person who groveled upon the bricks behind him.  
  
"Ren, SHUT UP!" Yoh brayed, trying to push the Kwon Dao out of line of the mystery person.  
"Get out of my way, Yoh!" The flat side of the spearhead came whizzing around and the next moment, a heavy, severe pain hammered into his head. Something dark and wet ran into his eye from the acutely painful area. He recoiled and lay on the dusty ground, feeling this insipid liquid saunter down his face and his eyes starting to shift their focus.  
  
Ren could feel the vibrations slow down slightly. He tried to see Yoh where had fallen, but it was too dark to do so. Shit, he thought, I thought he would dodge that.  
The creature was breathing hard, but rhythmically. The vibrations were softening slightly...ever so slightly...  
  
And they became so rapid again so fast that both Yoh and Ren whined slightly from the pain. Doubled...tripled...quadrupled....they multiplied so fast that soon it was nearly impossible to discern the rhythm.  
The person was no longer cowering against the wall. It was leaning slightly forward, its fingers gripping the bricks tightly. Its eyes were wide, its teeth gritted- its expression that of maniacal enragement.  
Then it leapt forward into the shadows. Ren froze, his eyes no longer useful to him, listening to the best of his ability. But every sound he heard was in an impossibly different location, all around him, echoing in the dark alley.  
And then- GLOMMMP! It had latched to his face!!! He struggled to get it off, but it held tight with its surprisingly dull teeth, save the front few. He realized that, whatever it was, be it himself or be it something else- had actually locked him into a die-hard kiss!  
With this realization came the shock- not for the actual kiss, but what was caused by it- for at that moment, a huge, feathered something slid into his mouth and tried to go down his throat- a dark, gritty bird!!!  
Ren choked loudly and pushed away- and the other came off as well. Whatever was in his mouth disintegrated into a moving, squirming, fluttering mass. The person landed in a shaft of light, with something coming out of its mouth. Ren had his mouth too, and out of it flew-  
A swarm of butterflies? Ren thought. "What are you?" He demanded, wiping blood off of his lips.  
It closed its eyes for a moment, and relaxed.  
"Ab jetzt, quelqu'un de nessuna preoccupazione." It said finally, eyes flashing open and a smile flashing dangerously.  
The butterflies suddenly started flapping hard, round and round in circles around Ren's head. Ren tried to sweep them away, but with each flick of his wrist they grew steadily in number, until his whole body was surrounded. And then, all at once, they attacked him.  
Ren's scream ricocheted like a catalepsy. 


	3. Clocked Hearts

Okay! Chap three! Cool- im surprised I got this far. (I have some stories that have been put on hold for years- with months in between chaps.) I'm guessing that this will be a short chappy. I don't know yet. I wrote this before the chap. (Bad me.)  
  
Lyserg: *golf slaps Mouse-kun*  
  
Mouse: O_O The hell? What was that?!!  
  
Lyserg: That was for writing all of this nonsense before writing the chapter.  
  
Mouse: I know what it was for! What the heck is a golf slap?  
  
Lyserg: Think of a golf clap. Same technique, but different message. Now start writing so that I'll finally find myself in the story one of these days. I bet my character is very unlike my true self. ^__^  
  
Mouse: Geez. I try, you know. -_-   
  
Anyway: Disclaimer: I don't own Cirque du Soleil or Shaman King. However, with more training, I will be a part of Cirque! ......I pray.   
  
*People start laughing. Mouse-kun golf slaps them, then gets a smile of approval from Lyserg.*  
  
A quick thing: Any shonen ai that may appear in the story from this point simply isn't- it's just the way the cirques live. But, it will seem to be, with a reason. Especially very Mantoh, or Mantou, or whatever. Maybe I'll make Yoh make out with Ren, too. Wonder about the reaction I'll get from people with that.  
  
*Mouse-kun suddenly gets lots of reaction. Especially from Yoh and Ren.*  
  
Mouse: /,_,\ Hey, c'mon! Peace, brothers! Make love, not war!  
  
Ren: You have us make love and you can BET there'll be a war!   
  
Mouse: ;_; Can't we settle this over cheese sandwiches?  
  
Ren and Yoh: No.   
  
Mouse: Uh-oh. Well, anyway, Chibi Team Rocket, this chappy, and the next, are dedicated to u (they include the Manta x Yohness that you crave so badly, especially chappy four) *Yoh jumps, pins Mouse-kun to the ground, and pulls her hair.* -...for helping me, and supporting this story. U are a wonderfully nice person ^_^ *Yoh pulls harder on Mouse's hair* OW! OW! A golf slap would have gotten the message across!   
  
Hope you liked Chapter Two's Ren x Ren. ^__^   
  
*Ren is now helping- or painfully taking over from- Yoh torturing Mouse.*  
  
*Lyserg hunches down and watches Mouse's pained expressions with relish.*  
  
Mouse: You OW! know, Lyserg, you OW! could OW! be helping me to OW! GET THESE TWO OFF OF ME! OW!  
  
Lyserg: *to Yoh* She said that Manta was going to be part of it too. Where do you think he is?  
  
Yoh: *Grips Mouse's hair like the reins on a mechanical bull with mechanical bugs, with a satisfying shriek from Mouse* He should be loading the bazooka.  
  
Lyserg: Tisk. Wouldn't want to be you right now, Mouse-kun.  
  
Mouse: O YOU THINK?!   
  
Lyserg: All right then! Everyone, since Mouse-kun is, uh, somewhat occupied...*Mouse is half bent backward, thanks to Yoh and Ren, waving a bunch of cheese sandwiches around and screaming something about Jane Goodall.*....I will have the honor of announcing the story's start...finally......o_o so, here it is.  
  
....: -~*~- :....  
  
Yoh heard Ren's body slump to the ground. He could hear the other person- no, the other thing, shivering. The vibrations slowed slightly. Ren choked, and Yoh could hear a strangled noise come from down his throat. But, it didn't sound like a normal choke.   
  
He had a headache, but that was nothing compared to the pain of minutes ago. He started to sit up, but he stopped halfway to his knees by the golden eyes of the creature swiftly turning onto him. He could feel the vibrations slowly start to start again. The creature stood up.   
  
The next thing he knew, his hands were pulled out from under him and he was being dragged against the dirty, pebble-covered ground. When he was let go, a hand was flung across his eyes, clearing them of his blood. Yoh winced; He was under a beam of light. His head throbbing, he put his hand up to shield his eyes and looked up at this creature- the creature that looked so much like Ren. It looked down at him through those yellow eyes- yellow, angry eyes- the eyes he knew so well to be Ren's.  
  
...: -~*~- :....  
  
His hand were sweating- his fingers, trembling. His face, bathed in darkly white light, his eyes, full of terror for the almost inevitable. Tears dribbled down his pale cheeks and fell off in salty droplets to the crystal-clear water below...  
  
  
  
"Ma–! Ma--!"  
  
....: -~*~- :....  
  
Yoh's arms were pinned down painfully by the creature's knees to the ground; His face was being squeezed and held up by the creatures hands, causing more pain than he had already had. He couldn't move- he was at the mercy at this maniac demon. The eyes that he had known for so long- always upset, often angry, but always controlled- were now maniacal, crazy. Blood poured from his wound into his eyes, and flowed from them down his nose and cheek and to the ground in dark, salty drops. He looked up at it through his own dark eyes which, for once, were full of apprehension, desperation- and were almost....  
  
....: -~*~- :....  
  
"MARINKASS!!!!!"  
  
....: -~*~- :....  
  
  
  
He felt pressure lift from his head and his arms. His head fell because the hands weren't there to stop it. He was startled; These eyes had changed, this creature had changed. The eyes- they weren't crazy anymore. They were grief-stricken, heartbroken, as though the creature could melt and yet never die; They were distant, and yet, staring right into his eyes. It backed away slowly, its eyes never leaving Yoh's; And, as suddenly as its expressions changed- it ran. Pushed itself from the light, and the sound of footsteps quickly growing softer.   
  
  
  
Yoh pushed himself up, and saw it going down the alley, toward the light of the entrance; He immediately got up and ran after it, pumping hard, his footsteps echoing throughout the alley.  
  
  
  
He turned into the bright street, and had to shield his eyes from the light. And once his eyes had settled, it was gone.   
  
  
  
He turned and ran back down the alley, blindly. With no idea where Ren was, Yoh got down on his knees and felt about with his hands. He had hit quite a few things, including broken glass and a dead rodent, before his hands came down onto Ren's stomach. Yoh slid his hand up until he found the shoulders, and then grabbed Ren and pulled him out of the alley.   
  
  
  
When they were back in the sunlight, Yoh was shocked to see that Ren's eyes were wide open, seeing nothing. His lips were bleeding slightly from the bitemarks. Was Ren dead? Yoh urgently felt for his pulse. No, he was alive. Yoh put his ear to Ren's mouth to hear or feel if he was breathing, and heard a strange sound from within. He used two fingers to scope out the cause of Ren's odd breathing- and pulled out a few black feathers.  
  
  
  
Eyes wide and pupils tiny, he looked away from Ren, to where the creature had run before.Something atrocious- and deadly- was on the loose.  
  
********************  
  
  
  
  
  
Uggg....What a stressful day, Thought Manta. A day of extra studying for school tests WOULD be stressful. He was walking home from the library, his favorite place to study, as his home was often pressuring- even without the books and papers and memorizing.   
  
  
  
Manta did not want to go home just yet; He decided to take a trip over to Yoh's house. Perhaps he was bored- or lonely- or confused. Maybe he could use Manta's help with his homework? ....But as he had just spent several hours studying, he surely hoped that something was keeping Yoh from doing it- or, even better, helping him complete it. Perhaps he had done it himself? The image of Yoh concentrating fiercely over a page of math problems entered Manta's head.   
  
  
  
He had to fight off a fierce desire to laugh; Yoh certainly wasn't lazy, as many may have thought he was, but Yoh + Homework just didn't compute. And neither did Yoh + Studying. Oil and Water. But it was a perfect combination in Manta's case. Another thing that made Manta and Yoh so very different. It was surprising how they became a pair of friends, with such differences. But perhaps, the old saying was true: opposites do attract.  
  
  
  
  
  
Far before reaching Yoh's house, Manta came upon a wooden entrance to what looked like a shrine. He had seen this entrance before, but sitting and cramming had built up energy within him, and he suddenly was curious about what the inside of this wooden portal was like. Gingerly, he stepped into the hidden world.  
  
  
  
As it turned out, it was not a shrine- or not just one. It was a Zen garden- a perfect coincidence, as Manta could use something calming and soothing at the moment. There was plenty of greenery as well as stone in this garden. With each of Manta's steps, echoes surged across the clement courts and disappeared into the sky that stretched above. Every time the soft wind blew, the trees wavered and stretched their limbs and leaves, sending shadows waltzing across the gray stones.   
  
  
  
That's odd, Manta thought, The wind isn't blowing right now, but there's a shadow that keeps moving....in that other shadow over there........  
  
  
  
Manta's eyes stuck to that one shadow feverishly. It moved out of line with any tree, even in wind. Manta could feel his heart rate beating very hard and fast, though there wasn't any apparent cause for the extremity of it's hurry. It almost seemed to have a will of its own.  
  
  
  
It was rapidly coming closer now- Manta could see that- from behind a stone pillar, out of the light- what, it had legs?!- it was alive!- the shadow quickly slid away from the body like a sheet- a very odd body, it was- it was at the upper torso- and then the creature slid back into the shadows faster than it had been exposed. What was that?! thought Manta.  
  
  
  
But then the thing came quickly, around the other side. A little too quickly- it was exposed to anyone who cared to see, which it clearly did not want that to happen. Careful fear was its expression.   
  
  
  
Manta's mouth fell open and hit the ground.  
  
"YOH?!"  
  
Yoh turned his head quickly to face Manta. Wide eyed and startled, he had jumped back slightly. Manta's heartbeat was going much faster now, even faster than it was a few minutes ago.  
  
Yoh fell against the pillar, and rose, and fell again, and slid down it, and back up- a constant, but odious rhythm. Anguish was etched on his face, in place of his usual cheerful glow. His eyes, instead of their usual light, allowed Manta to read fear and pain with their unfelled tears.  
  
  
  
Yoh's actions reminded Manta of an animal- an animal in a cage. This shattered his heart, knowing that people should feel free in a Zen garden, and Yoh had the most right to be free and happy than anyone else he knew.  
  
  
  
But why was he acting like an animal in the first place?  
  
  
  
"Hey, hey! Take it easy, Yoh," Manta slowly walked up to him. Yoh paid no attention; He continued to throw himself against the pillar. However, he had begun to do so with increasingly less force- so much less that he finally just stopped, leaning against the pillar, breathing heavily and staring down at Manta with exhausted, but frightened eyes. Manta himself wore a very worried look. He reached out and grabbed Yoh's wrist- and realized with a tightening chest that he was shaking heavily. His face and body was covered with cuts from where he had thrown himself against the pillar.   
  
  
  
His body, itself, was covered with a picturesque article of clothing: the only thing was a soiled blue bodysuit, to which the almost all of the upper half of it had been ripped away, and the bottom half wasn't in the best shape itself, though it still held together. A shred of the material, presumably from the top half, acted as a belt to keep it all together. A few odd-looking flowers were caught in his hair. The oddest thing, however, was how the upper half of his face was deathly pale, while the bottom half remained his natural color.  
  
  
  
His eyes suddenly rolled up into his head, and his eyes closed. His mouth clenched shut, and his head bowed down. To Manta's horror and confusion, Yoh slid down the pillar and slumped to the ground in a faint- and only his arm remained up, due to Manta's fingers clamped around his wrist.  
  
  
  
Manta instantly dropped it, about to try and revive his friend, when Yoh suddenly pounced onto him. Because of the shock of Yoh's sudden energy, it took him quite a few seconds to realize just what happened. What had happened was that Yoh had jumped up and clamped onto Manta like one would grab onto a life buoy when about to drown. Yoh's head was right next to his, and Manta could easily feel his heartbeat and breath. The breath was evenly paced, though accelerated greatly, but his heartbeat- his heartbeat was irregular. Manta's own heartbeat raced faster. What was going on? What was wrong?  
  
  
  
Manta realized that Yoh was about to faint again; His grip lessened, his arms grew slack, and his head put more pressure on his shoulder. His face rested against his neck. Sweat dripped off of his forehead and onto Manta's shoulder. After a few minutes of this, Manta started to back away, with the idea of letting Yoh rest on the ground. But Yoh let out a little throatily moan, and the slack hands suddenly grabbed Manta's shirt very tightly.  
  
  
  
"¿Che cosa è sucedió?"  
  
  
  
Manta stopped. What the fuck?! He thought, Yoh doesn't know three languages. From his studies, Manta knew quite a few languages, and hearing Yoh speak those words threw him off. But....perhaps Yoh had integrated with a different ghost, one that knew both Italian and Spanish?  
  
  
  
Yoh looked up into Manta's face. "¿Chi son-vous?"  
  
  
  
Manta stopped short. He knew that Yoh's consciousness was still there, even if mixed with another's. And Yoh would never try to scare him with what he just said.  
  
  
  
'Who are you?'   
  
  
  
Thoroughly terrified, Manta started to back away from Yoh. When the hands gripped tighter still, he ran out of his grasp and stopped about ten feet away. But what he saw snapped his heartstrings.  
  
  
  
Yoh lay on the ground, gripping the stones so hard that his fingers turned white. His face was scrunched in pain and sweat fell off of him in torrents.   
  
  
  
Manta could just stand there and watch.  
  
  
  
Yoh lifted his head off of the ground with great effort, and said, "Libre......... Frei.............. Livre...........Libero............!!!"  
  
  
  
Manta knew each word that he said. In French, German, Portuguese, and Italian, he had said one word: "Free."  
  
  
  
Free? What? He saw Yoh lay on the ground in pain, and remembered how he had thrown himself against the wall of the pillar, until Manta had soothed him. Was he trapped inside the garden? He couldn't find his way out? But- why didn't he just say so? But then, he hadn't been acting normally since Manta had first caught him in the garden.  
  
  
  
Hoping that Yoh would understand, he came slightly closer and said, "Vamanos." Yoh looked up at him, breathing hard, but he clearly understood. He slightly nodded his head and thrust his hand out to Manta.  
  
  
  
Manta paused, debating to himself whether to grab the hand or not, before shakily sliding his hand against the other. When he found that Yoh did not do anything otherwise, he grasped it firmly and pulled Yoh to his feet. When he was up, Manta started running to the wooden exit, dragging Yoh behind. But as the exit became clearer, Yoh started running faster until he was the one dragging Manta along.   
  
  
  
And finally they were back on the street.  
  
  
  
Yoh breathed in a huge breath of air and let it out, smiling hugely, which was quite an improvement in contrast to the wince and whimper that he had before. Manta stared up at him now, clearly confused. Yoh looked down at Manta, blinked, and imitated his expression. He couldn't hold it for long, though, and let it go with a docile giggle.  
  
  
  
Manta's eyes widened. What the fuck?! What was wrong with Yoh?!  
  
  
  
"Grazie, Monsieur!" he said, bending his knees and bowing his head for a split second, and returning to his regular stance.  
  
  
  
Manta stared. Yoh had just curtsied at him. And he still was speaking multiple languages.   
  
  
  
Was this Yoh?   
  
  
  
Manta shook his head and, with questioning eyes and a courteous smile, he bowed and said, "De nada." 


	4. What happened?

Mouse-kun: Yayyy! I finished another chapter! What a reason to celebrate! ^__^  
  
Everyone else: yay. what joy. what fun.   
  
Mouse-kun: *throws confetti* Okay at this time, I would like to say that, while making this chapter, I finally figured out what OOC means. It means that the story characters aren't much like the real characters for whatever reason. So yeah, my story is going to be rather OOC. Because of this, may I ask that you PLEASE help me with characters! Send me as many character descriptions as possible from mankin (duh. i know who mario is, and i dont need him right now.) And please include the name, the physical description, the personality description, and a sample of what the character might say! And, that would be SOOOOOOOOO helpful!!!  
  
Yoh: Mouse's email is cirquemou-  
  
Mouse-kun: YO-ohhhh! Do you ALWAYS give my email out to random people?!?!?!?! =O  
  
Yoh: O_o *backs off*  
  
Mouse-kun: hmph. Okay. So anyway, my email is Thanks to all who do so! *cookies with milk*  
  
Disclaimer: I don't own Shaman King, Cirque du Soleil, any shows by Cirque du Soleil, or Alta Vista Babel Fish.   
  
Mouse: This chapter contains much yaoi substitute (tofu), with little hints of real yaoi. (burger-bits) Try and guess who. This story keeps ya guessin'! (The couplings, that is.) Here's a hint:  
  
Chibi Team Rocket, this chapter is dedicated to you. Even more so than the last chapter. ^__^  
  
Got it now?  
  
Lyserg: (has found out that Yoh got chewed out by Mouse.) *golf slaps Mouse*  
  
Mouse: o_o what was that for?  
  
Lyserg: That was for yelling at Yoh. ^ ^  
  
Mouse: -_-  
  
Anna: (Has read the chapter) *Smacks Mouse hard enough to send her sailing.*  
  
Mouse: (after jogging back) O_O what was THAT for?!  
  
Anna: = X How could you put that smaking bit with me in this chapter!?!?  
  
Mouse: *twitch* uhhh story time?!  
  
Lights dim to present story. Sounds of Anna doing insane and evil things to Mouse are heard.   
  
....: -~*~- :....   
  
Manta grabbed Yoh's hand again. "C'mon. We can't stay here on the street, or else we're going to attract a lot of attention." And indeed, people were staring at the odd pair. He tugged on Yoh's hand to get him to go, but Yoh was fixed upon his spot. Manta looked up to see stars in his eyes.  
  
¿Qué?   
  
"Don't you think this is going a little too far?" asked Manta. His voice was stern, but his brow was drenched with distress. "Can't you un-integrate, or at least speak normally?"  
  
"¡Ich ne voulez ir!" Yoh pouted.  
  
"You're scaring me, I'm serious!" Manta demanded strongly, "Speak in normal Japanese!"  
  
Yoh resisted him with a royal, injured air. "¿Perchè è cela ogni fois vous emite eine Nachfrage, eu sou a accomplissez-él sofort?"  
  
He paused and watched incredulously as Manta looked down at the ground in concentration, trying to translate to himself these words from such an array of languages. Indeed, Manta knew words from all of them, but to know all thoroughly, let alone to be able to create sentences from different ones so quickly, was not something he thought he would have to do.  
  
"Was? Pourquoi no lo hace usted comprenez-vous pas? Sie kannten mich conosciuto così buon! Per favore, entretien a ich!" Yoh cried out to Manta, shaking his shoulders.  
  
Poor Manta by now had completely lost whatever translations he had been trying to conjure. He just stared up into Yoh's eyes, helpless for words. He knew by now that it wasn't Yoh that had been with him the whole time, though he had sincerely prayed that it was just a prank. But he couldn't decide which was worse- which was more possible- Yoh playing a prank oh him, or someone- or something- else pawning Yoh.  
  
Yoh's grip hardened on Manta's shoulders, and his face pulled into an atrocious scowl."Vous êtes una frode!"   
  
Manta slapped him.  
  
Yoh immediately let go of him as he fell back onto his hindquarters. His eyes huge and his hand on his face where Manta had struck him, he grew pathetic again instantly.  
  
Manta could translate that small bit to know that Yoh had just called him a fraud. Two insults in less than half an hour. He knew now that this wasn't Yoh, integrated, pranking, or otherwise.   
  
With a reprimanding stare from Manta, Yoh continued to stage his innocence by drawing his legs against his body and tucking everything that was above his waist against them.   
  
This was a heavy picture for Manta's eyes, and they fell sadly. Whoever this was- it still looked like Yoh. He came forward and laid a finger on Yoh's knee, with a terrified whimper from somewhere within. It sounded like Yoh.   
  
But he knew that it wasn't Yoh.   
  
Strengthening up, Manta hardened his face and extracted Yoh's hand out of the entanglement. Yoh pulled his head up and stared into his face, which was rock-cold.  
  
"Venuto." Manta ordered, and Yoh slowly untangled himself and straightened up, and followed Manta to wherever he could lead a person like this.  
  
  
  
--------------  
  
"Silencio." Manta commanded as he led Yoh into a trim yard, which led to a small, traditional house. Yoh nodded his head twice, smoothly, though he still frowned down at him slightly. The house was somewhat quiet, which worried Yoh, but (knowing his friends) worried Manta even more.   
  
Anna was standing on the front porch, leaning over the white, wooden rail with her head in her hand. She seemed disturbed by something, but then, she was disturbed quite often by many things. A stained towel hung from her other hand where it hung over the rail.   
  
"Anna?"   
  
Anna immediately shot straight up into a perfect-posture stance, and the look of disturbance grew slightly. The towel hung hidden at her side, and slightly behind her. She looked down at whoever interrupted her. "What do you want?"  
  
Manta simply stared at her, his mouth open in search of words. When none came, Anna repeated herself, with more agitation in her voice. "What is it?"  
  
Manta simply shook his head and said, "Nothing. Sorry about that." Manta bowed to her.  
  
Anna turned to Yoh, who continued to stand, and was staring at her. He had not bowed, or said anything.  
  
"Yoh! Why are you back so soon? And where is Ren?" Anna interrogated with a raised voice.   
  
Nothing. Yoh simply stood and stared. Anna's blood began to boil.  
  
"Yoh!!! Answer me when I address to you! Where is Ren?"   
  
Yoh blinked. He glanced at Manta, who tried to pantomime bowing. But before he could do that, Anna gave Yoh a hard, agitated slap.  
  
Yoh's face fell. Why does everyone strike at me? he thought. Or does everyone strike each other? How do these people communicate? How do I make them understand?  
  
After a moment, a tiny smile of understanding partook Yoh's lips.  
  
CRACK!!!!  
  
  
  
Yoh stood straight, his arm and hand curled over his shoulder. Anna's head and shoulders were still turned in the fashion that it had been forced into, though she was still remarkably on her feet. Slowly, a large red spot appeared on her cheek. It took the shape of a hand.  
  
Anna was stunned. For about a minute, she simply stood like that, her eyes wide, her lips parted slightly, her face frozen in shock.  
  
Yoh smiled warmly, proud of solving the puzzle.  
  
Her eyelids dropped slowly, into a huge scowl, and her teeth gritted so hard that anyone would guess that they would   
  
break. She began to tremble.  
  
Manta's heart took a flying leap.  
  
"A-Asa.....kura...." She managed to put out through her teeth. Her shaking grew menacingly heavier.  
  
Yoh's smile faltered slightly.  
  
"Ohhhh....my...God...." Manta whispered, in a half faint.  
  
"Esto es pas felicidade," Yoh observed to Manta.  
  
"RUN!!!!!!" Screamed Manta, grabbing the confused Yoh's hand and making a beeline for anywhere out of Anna's line of attack.  
  
"Ce qui? Warum?!" Yoh implored as he was forced to follow Manta. He turned back to see Anna. She still stood there, trembling with inflamed energy, staring at them, but not moving an inch...  
  
---------------  
  
"Thank you, please come...a...-uh, yes, well, thank you." The cashier said, looking down scornfully at the two boys, one half-clothed in shimmering rags and the other being very small in height, as she handed them their change.   
  
"Thank you very much," Manta responded, taking the change and their purchases as Yoh goggled at the clinking coins, captivated.   
  
Honestly, those new styles are getting much too out of hand, she thought.  
  
---------------  
  
  
  
Manta led Yoh into the restroom and pushed him into the handicapped stall. There, they would have much more space.  
  
"Reposez-vous," Manta said, sitting down himself and pulling Yoh's hand toward the ground. Yoh sat, blushing fiercely, and watched with curiosity as Manta began to rummage through the bag. He pulled out a dark bottle of liquid, some gauze, and some bandages.  
  
"Okay take of your sh-..." Manta stopped. How was he going to tell Yoh what to do? Yoh looked at him patiently. "Faites- ...F-Faccia questo," Manta just barely remembered to switch languages. He pantomimed peeling his shirt off, and motioned Yoh to do the same.   
  
Yoh's eyes shot open, and his arms bolted across his chest. He scooted back away from Manta as though he were dangerous.   
  
Manta understood. Yoh now thought that he was a sick pervert.  
  
"Ah, non! Non, non!" Alarmed at having frightened Yoh, Manta reached toward him, but that was a mistake. Yoh gave a little gasp and continued to scoot backward. Manta followed him, and they did that until Yoh hit the wall. Startled, he quickly looked behind him and then back, and gasped again. Manta was right next to him. Yoh tucked his legs and crumpled into a ball again, looking up at him. When Manta reached out a hand, Yoh whimpered and hid his face.   
  
Manta's insides froze solid. His face falling slightly, Manta stopped and simply stared at Yoh. Feeling ashamed, Manta slowly reached into the ball that was Yoh and pulled out his hand, this time slowly and gently. His thumb stroking the familiar knuckles, he waited patiently until Yoh's face slowly came back into view. When he saw Yoh's eyes again, Manta spoke...as well as he could.  
  
"Je suis....a......amico...." Manta concentrated hard on jumping to different languages. "Amico!" He pointed to his face and smiled. "Amico!"  
  
Yoh brought his head up from his lap and gazed at Manta.  
  
"Nein........K-KEINE....keine dolor." Manta concluded, smiling gently. He then slowly reached his free hand out to Yoh's shoulder, praying that he wouldn't whimper and hide again.  
  
Slowly...slowly.......closer and closer.........  
  
Yoh jerked his head toward then hand, which promptly froze. He looked back at Manta, who's face was frozen in anxiety.   
  
What's he going to-? Manta didn't have time to finish his thought. Yoh reached out and traced Manta's facial features with the tip of his finger. Confused, Manta's cheeks colored slightly.  
  
"Avete un visage nettes," Yoh said softly, distantly, yet still directly to Manta. " In pieno de la vie." His finger paused at Manta's chin, and it swung underneath to tilt his head up slightly. "Mais, Sie haben molto de um knack para las lingue, ¿usted?" he asked with a mock sigh, and then a sly smile.  
  
Manta's heart quickened, and yet his blood ran cold.  
  
Yoh trapped Manta in his arms, and gripped at his white shirt. Thrusting his head forward, he kissed Manta with enough force to drive him back ten feet. Leaning over him, Yoh wrapped his legs around him as well to truly keep him limb-and-lip locked. All the time, Yoh's eyes stared into Manta's but not with bliss- of sheer determination.  
  
For a second, Manta was stunned. He simply hung loose in the trap. His best friend was smooching him straight on.  
  
Yoh was kissing him.  
  
He didn't know what was going on, but everything seemed to melt in euphoria; He couldn't feel, couldn't hear, couldn't see-  
  
He couldn't see! What was going on? He knew that he was entangled with the kiss, but everything had turned to grays and blacks. He didn't understand- "AAAKWGKKK!!!"  
  
  
  
Something was sliding down his throat!   
  
  
  
What was it?!  
  
A bird!  
  
It was a bird!  
  
He could see the bird flying straight toward him as its other being blocked his throat! How he knew it was a bird was unknown, for the bird was covered in shadow, but his subconscious told him it was a bird.   
  
Knowing the bird was headed in a bee-line for him, he tried to get out of the embrace. But to no avail. Manta kicked and squirmed and flailed as though his life depended on it- for it just might have! But Yoh held on tight, never even slipping in his grasp, just fought Manta to hold on to him. His lips were so strong- they were too strong!   
  
The bird was less than a meter away, when Manta stopped squirming and screamed within the kiss. He felt his lips be pressed tighter still, but now a sensation- something stroking his head. And a strange, throaty tune came from the direction of the bird. The instrument was odd- but the song was beautiful.  
  
The bird took a nose dive less than ten centimeters away from Manta's face, and disappeared. The world slowly began to turn around over Manta's head, until the shadows and grey had cleared and he was surrounded in a realm of white. He saw another bird- a white dove to be exact- swooping through the air, to the melodramatic tune that came from nowhere. The bird landed softly on the white ground.   
  
And Manta didn't fear for his life. There was no fear associated with this bird. He held out an arm, and the bird flew over to perch on it. Gingerly, it crossed Manta's arm in a birdy way, until it reached the upper arm. Carefully, it lowered its head to Manta's mouth. Manta knew what it wanted, and now he would allow it. He opened his mouth. The bird gently flapped over, perched onto Manta's lip, and slid itself inside. He closed his mouth.  
  
Manta felt its head slip down the back of his tongue, down his esophagus. He felt the rest of the body follow. He felt smooth, gentle feathers tickle his throat. And then it disappeared.  
  
Manta slowly opened his eyes. Their lips were still pressed against his, but not nearly with as much force as before. Yoh pulled away just enough to part the pairs, with a small pop. Manta realized that Yoh's grip on him had lessened quite a considerable bit. He stepped out of what was before stronger than a bear trap.   
  
Yoh's eyes finally flipped open a little themselves. He stared at Manta, who stood tall and staring back. When he saw Manta in good condition, he smiled, before sliding down into a lie and closing his eyes to sleep.  
  
-----------------  
  
"Anna!" Yoh called, hauling Ren over his shoulder as he staggered into the yard. Ren still had a vacant complexion- he saw nothing in this world, and who knows what he saw in his- if he did see at all?   
  
"Anna!!!" Yoh spotted her swinging open the screen door. She stood with one foot on the porch and one hand braking the door. Her head was held high, and a look of inconceivable fury stormed on her scarlet face. The veins in her eyes had burgeoned, and with her bright blue irises, she was paralyzing. Even with the huge patch bandaged to her face, she was a menacing giant.  
  
Relieved that Anna had responded to his call, Yoh had overlooked the flashing warning signs and smiled as he ran up to her, with Ren in his support.   
  
"Anna! I'm so glad you're here! You wouldn't believe what happened at the end of our run! See, there was-"  
  
"I can't belive you dared to show your face here again." Anna growled quietly. "Who the hell do you think you are?"   
  
"What?" Yoh paused at the step that connected the grassy ground to the wooden-planked porch. "Anna, what are you-"  
  
"SHUT UP!" Yoh was struck by Anna's hand with the force of a surging bullet. The force of the anger behind the slap knocked Yoh to the ground. Ren rolled out of his grasp and stopped face up on the grass.   
  
Yoh clutched at his cheek, his eyes watering slightly. That was definitely one of Anna's harder slaps. He looked up at her, completely bewildered. "Anna! What happened! What did I do?!"  
  
Anna froze at the top of the steps. She stared down at Yoh, a demonic look in her reddened eyes. She stepped down to the next step. One step closer to Yoh. He sat up quickly, preparing for more pain- more slaps, more training?  
  
But Anna didn't order pain onto Yoh.  
  
"Get out of here."  
  
Yoh stood up. "Anna..."  
  
"GO!!!" Anna hollered with such force, that Yoh jerked slightly, before silently exiting the yard and walking away.   
  
He turned back just in time to see Anna gently secure the patch on her cheek. What happened to her? he asked himself.   
  
Once Anna was sure that Yoh was gone, she turned her attention to the other perturbing mass, this one motionless. She kicked at Ren's foot, which rested very close to the step. "Get up." she demanded of him.  
  
  
  
When he didn't move, she stepped onto the grass and stared down at him, deciding that he was unable to drag his own lazy ass into the house. But when she looked into his face, she noticed something odd. His look wasn't of normal unconciousness- his eyes were wide open and glassy, his mouth closed, he was hardly breathing at all. He had a look of faraway bliss.  
  
  
  
Anna suddenly got a jolt of a sense, the same sense that soaked her towel. She clutched at her head, and her eyes widened with anguish. She emitted a little gasp. And then it was gone.  
  
It was extremely diluted this time, or else she would have fallen over again. But it was enough to send chills all over her body. She looked again at Ren, her eyes wide.   
  
  
  
'Anna! I'm so glad you're here! You wouldn't believe what happened at the end of our run! See, there was-'........  
  
Was Yoh actually telling the truth? What was going on?  
  
----------------------  
  
Manta was sitting against the wall opposite to the one that Yoh was lying against. He was waiting for him to reawaken.  
  
When Yoh opened his eyes, Manta smiled, and searched for the French word for "hello."  
  
And wasn't it a shock to hear this Yoh sit up and say, "Do you understand?" in perfect Japanese. 


	5. Misunderstanding and Three Quarters

Yoh: Mouse? *pokes Mouse* Mouuuuse.....  
  
Mouse: Snorkle snirk....  
  
Yoh: *pokes Mouse again* Mouse????  
  
Mouse: Snorkle snore snk drool drool.  
  
Ren: *blows foghorn in Mouse's ear. Everything on the computer desk flutters at its majestic call.* WAKE UP.  
  
  
  
Mouse: *hangs off the ceiling fan* Don't DO that!!! O-O *twitches*  
  
Ren: Fool.  
  
Horo-Horo: Heh heh- Your hair looks good like that, Mouse!  
  
Yoh: But her hair is standing straight on end....  
  
Ren: *Glare* Well, why do you think he SAID it if it didn't look that way? Do you think he gives a rat's ass about her hair otherwise? What the hell is wro- *Mouse is about to land on Ren* AAAAUGH! *Mouse lands* .....Ki....sa...ma......  
  
Mouse: Tag!  
  
Ren: Go hide in hell. x_-  
  
Yoh: O_O  
  
Horo: O__________O  
  
Mouse: Giggle giggle giggle!  
  
Yoh: *catches giggletitis* ...........heh heh.......  
  
Horo: *catches the heaves* HAHAHAhahahahahah!  
  
Mouse: *giggles like a maniac* *snorts* HAHAHAHahahahahahahaha!  
  
Yoh: *laughing*  
  
Horo: *laughing harder*  
  
Mouse: *choking on spit*  
  
Ren: *covers his ears* Could ANYTHING *POSSIBLY* be more annoying?!?!?!?!  
  
Mouse: *snaps fingers* *changes appearance to Ren's* *continues to choke and laugh* Giggle giggle choke giggle giggle choke!  
  
Yoh: O . O   
  
Horo: *is heaving with laughter on the floor*  
  
Ren: AAAUUGHHH!!!! SHUT UP!!! *shoves off Mouse and points his Kwan Dao down at her* God! What's wrong with you?!  
  
Mouse: *takes her own appearance* *smiles (insert adjective)*  
  
Yoh: *still smiling* Horo's fainted!  
  
(Horo has passed out from laughing. He has a giant frozen smile on his face*   
  
Ren: *eye twitch*  
  
Mouse: *sits up* Okay, we took up enough time.   
  
Disclaimer: I don't own Shaman King, whoopitie deu, lets eat a sheu.  
  
Mouse: One thing to everyone: I'm sorry I didn't update for, oh, two months? (I dunno.) I've started school, and I actually need to work harder now. Plus, lots of other stuffies. Oh, and I dunno if you'll like this chappie or not, cause to me it's pretty frikin' boring. But I'll write a much better, much more interesting, and- yes- much more yaoi-ish chapter....next chapter. Please forgive me.  
  
Ren: What's to forgive? The fact that you're writing yet ANOTHER chapter? (').(') (rolling eyes)  
  
Mouse: XoX Hey! Shut up! *Ren points Kwan Dao at Mouse* ......I mean...... uh....... geez.......... o_o  
  
Lyserg: ^_^ Hey Mouse! When are you going to do your introduction to Chapter 5?   
  
Yoh: ....oh dear.....  
  
Mouse: Uhhh.........in a little bit, buddy! Lemme just add some finishing touches to it! *frantically starts writing chapter 6*  
  
Lyserg: ^_^ ???   
  
______________________________________  
  
"Do you understand?" Yoh asked.   
  
Manta gaped at him. Just a moment ago, he had been struggling to juggle five languages to talk to this thing, and now he could understand him in no time flat!   
  
What had happened? Why was it that this sudden, dramatic change had undergone? What was with this person? Who was he? Who was it? Manta looked straight into Yoh's eyes- Yoh's eyes, which were previously filled to the brim with tears of fear, frustration, confusion. They had been narrowed with passion but ten minutes ago. Now, they were relaxed- no emotion seeped from them to make Manta cringe, nothing seemed to penetrate from his expression.   
  
Realization slowly deformed Manta's face. Nothing......... except............  
  
  
  
....nah-nah-Na-NAH-nah............  
  
....nah-nah-Na-NAH-nah............  
  
"You were.......t-..toying with me!" he put out quietly.  
  
"Excuse me?" Yoh asked politely, and confusedly.  
  
"I can't believe it!" Manta babbled. "You're my best friend! Why would you do that?"  
  
  
  
Yoh cocked his head to the side. "I don't fathom...." he said, quietly and carefully.  
  
Manta quivered with anger. He realized now. The whole thing..........it was all a trick. From the very beginning....it was a trick. All of it. Every bit.   
  
Flames grew in the dark pit of his body. But as well as burning torment, Manta could feel his eyes grow wet. It was Yoh, at least part of him, after all. How could he do this to his best friend? He grew overwhelmed. "Stop your act already, Yoh!" He started toward the door of the stall. "You can just....*sniffle* just stop now! *sniff* 'Do you understand?'....Feh! I should have understood! Playing a prank on me the....the whole time....."  
  
Yoh looked "frightened." "What do you mean, sir?"   
  
Manta unlocked the door and put a foot out. "I *sniff* mean that you can *sniff* stop pretending!" He rubbed at his eyes. "*Sniff, sniff* You got me. I know that you *sniff* .....speak perfect Japanese!"  
  
"Since when, may I ask?"  
  
"Oh, come off it, Yoh!" Manta's sobbing voice crescendoed as he ran out of the men's room. "Since right now!"  
  
Yoh sat in concentration on his face as he thought out what Manta could possibly have meant by that.   
  
Many minutes later, his head shot up and froze. He turned his head to the door, and then ran out of the restroom.  
  
--------  
  
  
  
Manta walked somberly past the shops. His reflections in the shop windows showed his raw face. But no reflection could mirror his heart. His chest was encased in ice, and his head was heavier than a soaked towel. He hardly saw where he placed his feet, and much less cared.   
  
However, that proved to be not quite a good thing...  
  
"OW!" he cried out when someone ran into him. He fell back and, wincing, he looked up to see the assailant.  
  
It was none other than Yoh, the almighty comedian, who had also fallen backwards and was rubbing the back of his head. He was, as well, panting. When HE realized who he had run into, his face broke out into one of his typical huge smiles.   
  
Fake, Manta thought. It's just another fake.  
  
  
  
"Manta!" he exclaimed.   
  
  
  
"What?" Manta responded shortly.  
  
Yoh hadn't caught on the shortness. Or perhaps he does, and he just refuses to share that he's on to me, thought Manta. Yoh immediately started to explain his peril. "Manta, you wouldn't believe what happened! See, Ren went deranged because something that looks-"  
  
"Yoh, I don't want to hear this one." Manta interrupted him, glowering like the furnace of Mephistopheles. He stood up and brushed himself off, and then stared down at Yoh where he sat.  
  
Confused, Yoh tried agan. "You don't understand! This thing is still loose! And it looks just like-"  
  
"YOU don't understand, Yoh." Manta cut him off again. "I said, I don't want to hear your stupid stories again."  
  
Yoh was dumbfounded. "Again-?"  
  
Manta turned his face. The sun caused a dark shadow to shade his pained eyes. "Very funny. You're a good actor......a brilliant actor, in fact ......But, I'm not falling for that again."   
  
"Huh-?! Fall for what?" Yoh called to Manta. But he was already running down the   
  
sidewalk. He had gotten pretty far in the very short time span that he had been provided. Yoh heard him snivel miserably. Liquid beads cascaded down to the sidewalk like a falling veil. Their splashes echoed in Yoh's ears like Taiko drums.  
  
He was just about to jump up after him, when suddenly....... it happened. What had brought him into the frenzy and here to the street; What had put Ren into a gray, endless torpor; What had brought Anna such physical and emotional strain; And, what had shattered Manta's trust into a thousand pieces.  
  
The straining vibrations.  
  
The headache.  
  
The madness.  
  
  
  
Yoh clutched at his head, his head going affray, echoing. It was laborious to try to control himself, the ailments ricocheting within his vast inner realm.  
  
....nah-nah-Na-NAH-nah............  
  
....nah-nah-Na-NAH-nah............  
  
  
  
Yoh put his hand to his forehead, in an impulsive attempt to soothe his vexation. But the buzzing wouldn't quit. The beats were constant, unstoppable; They crushed him with every strike of their generator. His heart was racing the shadow, the shadow of what was there. But despite the complaints, Yoh forced himself to squint up and look around.  
  
Because he knew that it would be there again.   
  
The other Ren.  
  
His eyes watered slightly from the bright sun and his anguish, but he kept his awareness. He looked around at the   
  
buildings, the trees, and particularly, the alleys. The complaints were picking up speed. His heart was bolting back and forth, and his head was like electricity.  
  
His head swerved around again to face out into the open street. Searching for his opponent, he found nothing. All he saw were people going about their normal lives: A business man with his briefcase, a woman riding her bike, a boy going for a run, a girl eating an ice pop...-  
  
  
  
"Wait." he said to himself with a cringe. The thing was somewhere around. The senses were stronger yet, and slowly but steadily growing. He looked around.  
  
But the Ren wasn't there. Yoh looked around once again, and then....he couldn't put his finger on it.....he sensed something new- something very, very out of place.  
  
The running boy....  
  
"He looks familiar...."  
  
The boy jogged closer. He appeared to be ignorant to the fact that Yoh was staring at him. He continued to jog, though, his job was rather odd in itself. It was quick and springy, like a newly-trained colt's; His arms, rather than bent and pumping, were straight and, though low, still stuck out somewhat behind him. His legs were straight except for when he impacted the ground. His toes here constantly pointed. His form reminded Yoh of a dancer, or a martial artist. Or both.  
  
But what........  
  
....WHAT?!............  
  
The boy caught Yoh's eye.  
  
  
  
He looks.....just like me! Yoh spluttered in his head.  
  
  
  
And he did. His swinging brown hair was the same length. His limbs, somewhat sinewy, were the same. The same dark   
  
skin was encased in shredded, but beautiful, glossy blue silk. Their hands were equals in gentleness. And his eyes....they were the same as well. The same dark sienna eyes, celestial in their bounds, yet they probed the world with curiosity.   
  
  
  
It was another one. Another one of....those copies.  
  
  
  
The copy Yoh was about to pass by. The real Yoh was about to call out to him when, abruptly, the other stopped running and stood upright. His eyes grew wider, and his muscles started to twitch slightly.   
  
His head dropped and his eyes followed a delicate hand, which reached up and placed itself, spread fingered, against his chest.   
  
He's feeling his heartbeat, Yoh thought. He waited, not saying a word.   
  
Two eccentric eyes turned to face him.  
  
Two calming eyes returned the glance.  
  
The two stood like that, in a glaring face-off. The copy's eyes grew narrower, and the rippling muscles tensed up, ready.  
  
Yoh, on the other hand, stood calm, with only his complaining heartbeat, cool, smooth sweat, and a buzz in his ear to suggest otherwise. He had to be calm. Any little movement would set this....thing, off as well....most likely with the will of Ren's copy, or stronger. The aura was equally as strong.  
  
The aura! He had to decipher the aura! Yoh concentrated hard on bypassing the nausea and head buzzing, because there was a chance that the key to this particular creature was hidden in its spiritual pharamones. After all, everyone had an aura- this one in particular just happened to be smothered in a thick imitation of one. And everyone could read another's aura like an open book, if trained in reading them well.   
  
Yoh had to read this aura. It was vital that he did- to get through the steely outer ambience to see what was inside.  
  
But...perhaps, could he read what was already there?  
  
The person was standing tall, straight. The eyes were intimidating. They were narrow. A gripping hand, baring normal nails- his, in fact- but looked ever threatening when clenching at his chest.  
  
But other things were happening too: the muscles, though tense and ready for anything unexpected, were shaking. He was trembling; his whole body pulsed to his erratic heartbeat, and nearly threw him off balance. Although narrowed, Yoh could see that his eyes were bloodshot.  
  
He was running before. And, though looks could be deceiving, he was very weak. What was he doing before? He was very nervous, that was apparent now.......very frightened......... confused.........  
  
And then it hit Yoh like a botoku. The outer aura- it was only emotion. All of the dark emotions of this person, strong, -he could decipher that they were fresh- they had built up around this person after a short time period, and had very recently just been aroused again.  
  
"You're the one who angered Manta." Yoh said. There was not a drop of anger in the way he said his sentence, and little of any other emotion.   
  
The other's brows scowled in confusion. The body turned smoothly, completely, towards Yoh. The hand, still pressed against his chest, loosened slightly.  
  
Yoh smiled. There was no way that this thing, dangerous or lamb-like, would ever be able to hurt him at the moment. Because both of their complaints were lessening. The outer ambience was And he was developing trust.  
  
The copy's eyes had relaxed open slightly, and his head cocked to the side slightly. But the same puzzled expression resided on his face. One blue slippered foot coiled itself around the back of the other leg.  
  
Yoh started to carefully advance toward the copy. It backed slightly at the approach, but didn't move.   
  
The complaints started again. Yoh paused for a second, adjusted to their effects, and approached again. They grew   
  
again, with each step, until he was right up against him. Blood rushed through their veins, and a loud hum withstood within their heads. Yoh put out a shaking hand, grabbed the other's, and held it up. Closer....to his mouth.......and closer.  
  
The copy's eyes grew wide with confusion....fear.....  
  
The buzzing was thunderous.  
  
Yoh gave an assuring little grin, and looked back down at the hand.  
  
The hand was palm down, the back within the inch of his mouth. And, with a quick look up in uncommon courtesy, a kiss was produced upon the skin.  
  
All eccentric ambience fell and shattered.   
  
The copy looked at him with wide eyes, and a tiny, questioning, vulnerable smile. Yoh's lips immediately stretched into a wide beaming smile, proud of solving the puzzle.  
  
He could almost hear the crystals twinkle.  
  
____________  
  
In the dismal shade of a nearby alley, a figure huddled nearby the stone-bleak wall. Shivering and weak. Bleeding, wounded. Dehydrated. It clutched tightly around it's knees, keeping the shaking legs close to the torso of the body. It's head was tucked into it's lap like a ball, trying to keep fears out, and emotions in. The whole body rocked and swayed, like a kinesthetic lullaby. Mumbles came from between the parched, beautiful lips, and served as the lyrics for this grotesque gentle chant.   
  
A faint sense- perhaps a scent, or a sound, or a graceful melody- wafted into the district of the huddled creature. It had no color or appearance, but its body was full and whole. It entwined itself around the body and seeped in to the center.  
  
The creature stopped rocking and chanting. A slight shiver was the only movement. It lifted its head, so that only stained eyes appeared. Angered eyes, scowling in extracted strength.  
  
Their golden sparkle echoed in the darkness of the alley. 


End file.
